As the Stars Pass
by Mystic Milli
Summary: In the time before time, they were lovers. When Calamity struck, the two became enemies. As reality broke apart, he promised they would be together again. Millennia passed and she was ever a follower to Hydaelyn. Now on the First, he would use his chance... A prelude of what's to come


**A/N: So, I decided to do this little one-shot that is a prequel to Descent from our favorite Ascian's PoV. I don't have much to say, but I hope you guys enjoy this. Also, I can be found on Archive of our Own under the same penname, so I won't be hard to find. I usually update there first before I put it on here. So without further ado, I present to you, As the Stars Pass.**

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Emet-Selch trudged quietly through the reconstructed city of Amarout. From the tallest, carefully structured spires to the ghostly apparitions strolling through the streets, each were of his own doing. Oh how his heart ached and yearned to return to the time before time. A time when nothing divided a soul, but the mere difference of opinion or the colors of their hair and eyes. In this star, before the calamity struck, before the destruction of their home, and before the creation of Zodiark and Hydaelyn, all who lived were content with their lives.

Ever since that wretched Hydaelyn split apart reality into the Source and it's 13 shards, he and his unsundered brethren painstakingly schemed and manipulated to usher in the next Rejoinings. Most of the half broken dared to oppose them in their efforts to rid the star of the Ascians; never truly knowing the motive. Few have actually succeeded in thwarting the Ascians' plots, but tons more fell in battle or during the impending calamities.

However, there was one particular soul that was a thorn in his and his brethren's side since the game of cat and mouse began. This soul belonged to the 14th; his closest companion since they were babes onto their later years when chaos ran a mock and…. his beloved Rhoda.

Rhoda was a generous and selfless soul; always thinking of others before herself to a fault. If she saw one of their own or even a total stranger, the woman would take the time out to help them, even if her health was at stake. It bothered him at times, especially on their outings, but at the end of the day, he would not change anything about her.

Then...disaster struck.

The creation magicks they practically took for granted, turned against them. Nightmarish creatures took form. Mayhem and panic spread; only hastening the destruction caused by the beasts' powers, killing everything in the path. Rhoda did everything in her power to save their people, but there were many that remained unaccounted for, despite all the magics she used to help delay the inevitable.

When the final doom appeared, all hope had been lost; a great portion of their once great civilization lost...until one day, 13 members of the convocation used one final, desperate attempt to save their star: summoning. They prayed for a god to cease the madness and return everything to the former glory they once knew. They prayed, prayed, and prayed, their magics coming together until He answered their desperate pleas and Zodiark formed before them.

He tempered these 13 members of the Convocation and from that moment on, they were his servants. They shared to him their wish and he acknowledged it could be granted...at the cost of half of their population. They responded without a second thought and watched as their people vanished before them, but saw their star reformed. Then they wished to have those who died to be restored, but again, He desired another half of their remaining population for it to happen. Again, the Convocation did as ordered, but to their dismay, His creations were nothing but flawed, broken imitations of what they once knew.

One more attempt was to be made, but his fair Rhoda learned of this travesty and defied it. It went against all logic and the morals she went by and dared to oppose them with those who she managed to save.

"How could you?!" she had yelled at him. "This is wrong! We cannot keep sacrificing those of us who remain!"

"It had to be done!" he fought back. "Think of _**everyone **_that we have lost my dear! By His power, we will have what is ours once more."

Tears formed in her eyes as she continued to listen to him speak Zodiark's name and what all he could do for them and his greatness. She had lost him and the others. This madness had to stop before more harm could be done.

Before Emet-Selch, Hades, knew it, Hydaelyn was summoned. A kind and sweet Goddess of Light who ached at the pain of Her children...just like his beloved. However as in the same nature of her darker counterpart, those who summoned Her, fell to tempering as well. Naturally, learning of the events transpired and the two seeing each other as enemies, the two began their competition.

"How could you!?" It was his turn to ask.

"I cannot live in this star if it means we have to continue fueling your wretched God!" she barked back, the tears ever falling.

The two primals, or Gods, fought until with one shattering blow, light and darkness spread around the star, a blinding view to all those remaining.

"Hades!" Rhoda yelled reaching for him.

He reciprocated the action, but his vision was beginning to wane, "Rhoda!" No matter how hard they tried to gain a hold of each other's hand, they continued to be split apart. "I promise you my dear! We shall be together again!"

He found himself in the new star; one different from his own. The races were divided and their abilities with magicks paled in comparison to the world of eld. Worst of all, they held no memory of anything before. However, he discovered he was unsundered; everything intact along with Lahabrea and Elidibus. They were the three "survivors" of the sundering; Zodiark's most devout servants and as such, He bade them to restore him and subsequently, their star with everyone they had lost.

The three, listened and obeyed without question. However, Hades contained a thought: if they managed to remain intact...then she would too. So, his search began, between their plots of course, until he found her soul...but he was thoroughly disappointed. While her personality barely unchanged, no memory of the past remained, the density of her soul fairly thin, and a follower for that wretched Mothercrystal.

At the end of her lifespan, her soul returned to the Aetherial Sea until it entered a new host, but when he approached her, the result remained unchanged, but he kept a close eye on her. However, as he observed after the first Rejoining, a sort of thickness returned, but only a fraction. He learned with each new Calamity and subsequent rejoining of the shard to the Source, a piece of her soul came together.

Unfortunately, each new incarnation of his beloved was faithful to Her as they were Her Champion...the Warrior of Light. Admittedly, he grew bitter and resentful to Hydaelyn for all the damage done. He wanted the cycle to end; finally have his beloved Rhoda back to him. All the Ascians needed to do was continue in their efforts.

Finally, after a millennium, her soul became dense as ever. Unfortunately, with his occupation as the emperor of the Garlean Empire, the chances to encounter her alone were rather slim. That fact did not discourage him, however. At night, he'd would abandon the castle or his current whereabouts to observe her situation. In this lifetime, she was born a Viera and just like her predecessors, she was highly motivated to keep the peace and rid the realm of Ascians. When he "died" so to speak, he used the opportunity to observe once more.

Over time, she was growing tired and bitter. Her status as Her Champion was nearly made a mockery. In many cases, she was simply an errand girl for those broken fools far too lazy to carry the act out themselves. The people she dared to think as her friends only used her to handle what they were too weak to do, but still, there were few moments he could gain her attention without alarming her comrades.

More waiting he supposed. He begrudgingly went as long as he did already, so until the perfect moment arrived, he would sleep to his heart's content. Of course, good things always come to an end as Lahabrea failed to carry out his machinations and Elidibus called him forth once more. Typical. So once more, the burdened Ascian enacted his plots once more and here he was: on the First...waiting for the Light to full corrupt its inhabitants and his grandson's Black Rose poison to take effect in a city still far from his grasp...lost in his memories of the past.

Suddenly, he felt something, "What's this? A soul...drifting?"

A dark portal of his own creation formed, and he stepped through. Moments later, he arrived in Lakeland; one of the five remaining regions of the First. His golden eyes scanned the area from above in silence until finally landing on a singular figure in the midst of the beautiful land. Emet-Selch's eyes widened. First, he was confused, but his open mouth closed and formed into a grin, "My, this is an unexpected surprise. What brings you here my dear?"

Emet-Selch examined her soul; the stain he saw from before had only grown bigger and seemed to be doing so by the second. Perhaps now was the time to approach her. He knew not why she was on the First, but knowing her reputation, possibly to save it from destruction to save her realm.

Then again, he had witnessed several others...her comrades to this shard as well, but they were not as dense. In fact, they were just mere, corporeal souls with the ability to interact with their surroundings. However, she was fully intact. One thing came to mind: she was here to save both her friends _**and **_this godforsaken realm, despite her better judgment. With the growing resentment and a better idea of what her actions are to be, he could use it against her and finally she could become his once more.


End file.
